This week Children's Express talks to more young people about their experiences of Newcastle after moving from another country.
| People treat me differently now because I speak Geordie. |
Johann, 16, Czech Republic
I have lived here for three years and I left my country because we were attacked by the police there. I miss my country because it's my homeland. I had a good feeling when I first arrived in England. Everybody was very nice when I came here.
I don't speak English, I speak Czech and Romany so I found it hard going to school. I think my teachers are friends to me and young people in my school are nice. School in England is different to the one in my country. It's better. I go to a special school here, a very, very nice one. I love going to school and I don't like to miss any minute of it. I, unfortunately, had a very bad experience in a Czech school and I don't like to remember because I didn't have good teachers. I think I have adjusted to the English way of life because I like the towns and the sea very much but I don't like the weather here.
Dan, 13, Bolivia
When I first arrived in England it felt good because I was safe. I came to Newcastle by bus and I thought it was a good city because I like the bridges but I don't like the weather because it's too cold. The school is good as well so I will have a good education. The schools here are different because they have ceilings and in my country we don't have this. When I left my family they were crying but people here made me feel happier. People treat me differently now because I speak Geordie.
Alen, 13, Croatia
I have lived here for three and a half years. When I first arrived in England I had an uncle here and he helped us to find everything. England was everything that I had been told but it was scary being in a different country. I was able to speak English but it was still very hard. I find the weather here very different. In school, at first they were looking at me all the time and there was talk about why I came to England but the next month it was all right. It was hard getting used to an English education. Sometimes you cannot find the class and where you must go. In the lessons the teachers are nice.
Ada, 11, Czech Republic
I have lived here for two years and I left the country because there are racists there. We had problems in the Czech Republic and we knew Britain was a safe country. When we first arrived it was awful because we couldn't speak English and we didn't know what was happening around us but people were really nice. It was hard going to school for the first time but the young people there were nice. I used to go out more at home but not as much here. I have made friends since being here.
Sam, 15, Iran
I am from Iran and have been here for a year with my brother. Where I live now it's totally different from my house in Iran because it's different in colour. Often the houses here are too old and small for us. When I came to school the first day, people didn't like me and now they do. They treat me the same as other people. When I started school I was in trouble all the time. I couldn't speak English and then I just got used to it so now I can get on with people so easy. I've got lots of friends now. I like living here because I'm free. I can go wherever I want and I can wear whatever I want.
The names of young people interviewed have been changed.
About the team
This story was edited by Jade Henderson & Samantha Newby, 15. Reporters: Michael Holland & Hayley Todd, 12. Junior Jury is a weekly column published in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
